Thursday, June 7, 2012

Be Faithful in Small Things

Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.
~Mother Teresa

Below are a simple collection of little items which have caught my eye over the past month or so. Come take a peek at these wee things with me.



busy bee2
These blossoms are small but it was this busy honey bee which challenged me to snap a shot. It never held still for very long so I have something like 24 images of an amber blur and only a couple like this one.




walnut
A walnut half. What else is there to say about that?




PB
Frank has officially named this little guy Patio Bob. If it wasn't already obvious, he lives under one of his patio stones, or at least that's one of the places he stashes the cheeks-full of seeds he collects from the various feeding stations. You'll be seeing more of Patio Bob as summer progresses.




toy car
This little car is just about the right size for Patio Bob to scoot around the back yard. But it belongs to my neighbour's son.




mini iris
Tiny irises in Frank's front yard. Each blossom is about 5 cm (2 inches) long.




why the herons love it here
These tiny fish, so plentiful in my local pond are part of the reason we have so many water-loving birds such as herons, terns and kingfishers.




ant on peony2
A peony, about to bloom in Frank's back yard, plays host to a wandering ant.




seedy bar
This fence overlooks the dam at the pond. Smack dab in the middle of the link, is a confused dandelion seed. It won't find a fertile place to grow on this rusted bar.




forgetmenotrobin2
This adorable baby robin sits patiently amid the forget-me-nots, hoping that his mother will remember to return to him with a worm.




sunlit keys and bug
Early one morning, I took a walk along the creek near Frank's place. The sun was shining at such an angle that colours appeared particularly saturated and brilliant. What I first thought were tiny lights from a distance, turned out to be these vibrant maple keys. The bonus surprise came after the image was uploaded when I saw the little visitor exploring the bottom key.


Thanks always for taking the time to help me enjoy some of life's little things.

61 comments:

Alan said...

Love Patio Bob! I have several of my own Bobs in my garden. :-)

Andy said...

There are so many big things in the world that we forget to look at and enjoy the small things. Great shots Hilary. Keep on clicking.

Carla/MizFit said...

YES.
thank you.
such a calming way to start my day.

Steve Gravano said...

Looks like Patio Bob has his eyes on that car! Beautiful collection as always.

June said...

And each and every one of these tiny beauties is an absolute wondrous miracle. It's an amazing world. Thank you for showing me these.

Stewart M said...

Splendid shots - I really like the "uninvited guest" on the last picture – it’s a great addition.

Say hi to Patio Bob when you see him next!

Cheers - Stewart M - Australia

Indrani said...

Superb captures! Truly a delight to see them all.

Anonymous said...

How cute! We have had a couple of Patio Bobs hanging around our front yard and porch area this past week. They zip in and out of the bushes and across the sidewalk, and the pups love to chase them. :-)

NitWit1 said...

I have been chasing bees for weeks. I can only "chase" a short period of time because of my shortness of breath.

The sweet chipmunk would be in dire danger in my yard as it is my dogs favorite meal much to my dismay.

Crabby McSlacker said...

Beautiful!

And wow, I'd like insects a lot more if I could see them through your eyes.

Got any mosquito portraits? I need a major attitude adjustment towards the little s.o.b.'s.

Ruth Hiebert said...

These pictures prove once again that we must stop and enjoy each little thing. This was a priceless series of shots.

messymimi said...

Your showing me the little things in your pictures has made me pay better attention to the little things i find, thank you.

Patio Bob, i like that name.

DJan said...

Your pictures are again a feast for the eyes. I especially love Patio Bob and the cute little baby robin. Thank you for the journey. :-)

Leah J. Utas said...

That walnut half is straight out of a Tim Burton movie.

Kerri Farley said...

Oh the "little things in life" are certainly the best!
LOVE your pics!!

Linda at To Behold The Beauty said...

Patio Bob steals the show. He needs his own post. I suspect he'll get it, too, either here or at Frank's. :)

larkswing said...

Amazing shots!! Love the details - could so get lost looking at each again and again!

Daryl said...

I do believe you've mastered the macro .. brava!!!!

TexWisGirl said...

P.B. is the cutest thing!!! and i loved your peony and ant - a match made in heaven.

Unknown said...

Love the ant, and the light through those petals in the last shot!

Brian Miller said...

oo the ant on the bloom is amazing...love all the little things that catch your eye...there is a bit of magic in them..smiles.

Suldog said...

Today I learned something. I never knew those twirly things (which I had previously called "those twirly things") were actually known as "maple keys"! Thanks!

ellen abbott said...

all amazing shots but I especially like the ant on the peony bud. and the miniature iris! I didn't know there was such a thing.

Anonymous said...

The details reveal the divine. Exquisite shots!

Barbara said...

I'm so glad we'll see more of Patio Bob. He's precious! And as usual, they're all amazing and I can't pick a favorite!

Glo said...

Lovely images ~ and what a pleasure to see Patio Bob again. I wanted to photoshop him onto the toy car :) It's wonderful to be able to take so many digital shots in hopes of getting a superb bee shot, as you did. I remember peonies being covered with ants when I was a kid Really enjoyed your take on the tiny world.

Out on the prairie said...

I would have a jar full of treats for Bob when he visits,I love to see them fill up those cheeks.

Don said...

Tiny treasures!

photowannabe said...

The Smalls really make up the fabric of our lives.
Thank you so much for sharing them with us.
The baby robin is adorable and the fence spiderweb is beautiful.
You always amaze me with your take on life.

Anvilcloud said...

Your first and last pics are especially cool.

Shaun said...

Thats freaky, i have just posted up a load of macro photos of flowers and insects for todays post.
Very strange
Shaun Valleys ShutterBug

Gail Dixon said...

Ah, the little things! So important. I love that quote. Your pics are amazing. I must admit I'm a little jealous of the bee in action. I can never get those in focus. I'd probably have to shoot 240 (not 24) just to get one good one. :/

Linda said...

That is a great capture of the chipmunk and his little round cheeks. So why is it that ant like the peonies so much?

Frank Baron said...

Some real beauties in this lot, dear. Fabulous shot of the peony & ant and I really like the dandelion seed/fence shot.

And Bob is turning into such a ham for the camera, ;)

JC said...

BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!

MaggieGem said...

Fabulous beauty can be found in the details of the "The little things"... great macros!

Rob-bear said...

Those are all such delightful photos. I'm amazed that your could get the baby Robin to sit still long enough for that shot.
And that Patio Bob looks like a pretty cheeky fellow.
What kind of lens have you been using for those pix? A dedicated macro, or something else?

Sarah Anne said...

The baby bird is my favorite. :)

Rita said...

Patio Bob is adorable! Love-love-love chipmunks!! The baby bird and the lost dandelion seed are my other favorites, but I love all your photos. :)

Red said...

Well worth while to take a closer look at things. I like it when you catch something that you didn't know was in the picture.

holdingmoments said...

Every one a 'minature' gem.
Excellent set Hilary.

Zuzana said...

I love Patio Bob, so cute and sure his cheeks are full.;) Would be fun see him riding your neighbors kid's car, hihi.;))
Have a great weekend dear Hilary and thank you for making my Friday with your incredible photography.;))
xoxo

Shammickite said...

I have a family of chippies living under my deck, and in fact, I think they are scooting up inside my siding on the house. Perhaps you could persuade Patio Bob to invite them over for acorns so I can stop up their entrance hole!!!

Mental P Mama said...

Treasures all! I love Patio Bob!

Dianne said...

wee wonders!

I'm loving Patio Bob and do look forward to seeing more of him
is my sweet Benny OK with Bob being around?

yaya said...

Your ant on the peony reminded me of my childhood. We had tons of peony bushes and I always complained about the ton of ants on them...Mom always said they were there to open up the flowers. No more complaints and to this day I imagine them opening up the petals with their tiny legs..so funny! Great pics of course!

lime said...

chasing bees and ants is no easy task and i do love that shot of the ant. just great. patio bob makes me smile ear to ear. as a kid, one of my favorite things to do at my grandparents' and aunt's place in the mountains was to feed the chippies from my hand. thanks so much for the kind bestowal of a post of the week mention for my recent post on the mountains. i'm so glad you liked it.

Joanna Jenkins said...

I'm a sucker for peonies, even one with an ant. gorgeous shot.
Thanks for the beautiful photos today.
Happy weekend, xo jj

Dave said...

An interesting selection of critters and small things Hilary - Dave

sage said...

You're photos are always wonderful and I love the close up shots.

Friko said...

Your photos are, as always, magnificent.

My eye also caught the quote by Mother Teresa. I consider her to have been one of the most misguided persons in the recent past and her teachings have caused a lot of misery. ( Having stuck my neck out, I hope I haven't hurt your own feelings)

ds said...

Patio Bob has a cousin who lives behind my place. They are such fun to watch! Love the honeybee; well worth the time it took to get that shot. It is the little things that keep us going. Thanks for the reminder.

Unspoken said...

Why do small things feel so miraculous to us? And yet, they do!! Especially small living things... sigh.... ;)The ant, that silly ant got me on this post. Looked fragile and busy and vulnerable at once.

Anita said...

How do you manage to come up with SO many different images; each as fascinating as the next! :)

Lynne with an e said...

Good things come in small packages. Thanks for wrapping these up for us.

Grayquill said...

Very fun! You are a talented lady! I think your pics open up imaginations and bring color to an often colorless world. Good work!

SandyCarlson said...

Your loving photos of chipmunks have me putting photographing these guys on my bucket list. Why? To know the pleasure of being admitted into the world of a chipmunk that I might get such a photo.

Thank you for the inspiration.

Mommy Emily said...

i love this quote, and these photos... what a beautiful place you have here.

Karen (formerly kcinnova) said...

The baby robin reminds me of the Dr. Seuss book, "Are You My Mother?" and the little car fit for Patio Bob reminds me of E.B. White's book, "Stuart Little". As for the lovely iris, I offer my profuse thanks for such a stunning photo of my favorite flower!

Betty Manousos said...

love the walnut half! but they are all great photos!

xo

Jo said...

These little things are quite big actually--beautiful! Love the last one, such an ethereal red. I didn't know maples had keys!